Tumbler Ridge is representing B.C. as a regional finalist in the annual Hockeyville contest, which has been expanded for its 20th edition.

For the 2026 version of the contest, 13 communities — one in each province and territory — is receiving $50,000 for arena upgrades.

Additionally, two communities will go head-to-head for the grand prize. The runner-up will receive $100,000 for rink upgrades and the winner will get $250,000 plus the chance to host a pre-season NHL game.

All 13 finalist communities are also getting $10,000 in new hockey equipment.

“This is huge,” said Dennis Campbell, president of the Tumbler Ridge Minor Hockey Association and its teams, the Tumbler Ridge Raptors.

“Under normal circumstances this would be amazing, but with the tragedy we’ve had in our town, it would be unbelievable to see this happen for our little town and community, to help us out a bit.”

Tumbler Ridge is still recovering after a mass shooter killed eight people and then herself. Five of the victims were 12 and 13 year-olds killed at the local Grade 7-12 high school, including 13-year-old Ezeikiel Schofield who is memorialized on the Raptors website as “goofy, fun and truly one of the kindest kids we ever had.”

Thirteen-year-old Maya Gebala, described as having “a larger-than-life personality that fills a room,” was shot numerous times and remains in hospital with serious, long-term injuries.

Campbell said his own kids played alongside Schofield and Gebala and their absence, as well as those of the others killed, is being felt.

“They were all time, these kids,” he said. “To lose these kids is unbelievable … it’s nothing you would ever want to wish on your worst enemy.”

A gathering space in need of upgrades

Tumbler Ridge was nominated for the Hockeyville contest by Theresa Nevills, who lives more than a thousand kilometres away on Vancouver Island.

She said she was inspired to rally behind the community of roughly 2,400 after reading how the local community centre, which houses the arena, had become a gathering space in the aftermath.

“That space is sacred to them,” Nevills said in an earlier interview with CBC News.

“That’s where everybody went to join hands, rally each other and be there for each other, hold each other and get them through the first couple of days of what had happened.”

Campbell also said the arena, which he grew up playing in, could use some touching up, so any funding received would be welcome.

“We need more rooms, we need more storage spots for everything, we need a new clock and we’d like a new lighting and surround sound system. So we would definitely benefit big time if we got this, for sure, especially the kids,” he said.

A team of judges is now examining the 13 finalists in the Hockeyville contest and will announce the two finalist on March 21. From there a new round of voting will open, with the final winner announced April 4.

Campbell said he and his wife were trying to calculate the votes through the Hockeyville website and as best they could tell, Tumbler Ridge was in the top two, but said overall it looked close.

“It’s a tight race, but it’s something really special for us,” he said.

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